Ball and method of making it



P 2, 1952 H. T. WINTERBAUER 2,609,202

BALL AND METHOD OF MAKING IT Filed Sept. 30, 1948 2 Sl-lEETS-SHEET l Zita? eys Sept. 2, 1952 H. T. WINTERBAUER BALL AND METHOD OF MAKING IT Filed Sept. 50, 1948 r r W 5 my T m M Patented Sept. 2, 1952 STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 2,609,202- BALL AND METHOD (F IWAKINGv IT HenryT'. Winterbauer, Arlington Heights, Ili.,as-

si'gnor to J. A. Dubow Manufacturing. 00., Inc' Chicago; .Ill.,. a corporation of Illinois ApplicationSeptember 30, 1948', Serial No. 52,098

13 Claims.-

This invention relatesto' a playing or game ball and has for one object to provide a ball and a methodof making'it,

Another object is to provide a ball which has or may have a leather surface and to provide a method'ior making a ball which'insures the accurate spacing and positioning ofl'eathersurface members.

Another object is to provide a method of making a reinforced playing ball and: to provide means for forming the space-intermediate the leathersurfacemembersyto provide for accurate positioning of the surface members and to provide for' an overlapping or sealing of the edges of the surface members.

Other objects willappear iromtime" to time throughout the specification and claims.

invention is illustrated more or" less dia grammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a bladder for a ball with partsshown in elevation and parts in section and parts'broken away; Y

Figure 2 i'sa side elevation illustrating the'ball' of" Figurelswith the preliminary or first cover in place;

Figure 3-is a side elevation illustrating the ball with one layer of covering-strips in place;

-Fieure 4 ill'u'stratesthe ballwith additional layers o'f'covering strips in place;

#Frgure 5 aside-elevation of the ball after all of" the covering' strips have been put in place and after-the ball has been initially shaped by molding; i

Figure G' i's a section through a portion of a mold inwhich the ball of' Figure 6 istreated';

Figurev 7 is a side elevation of the ball of'F'igure"5' after the tapes havebeenput in place at the space'swhere cover members will approach each other;

Figure 8 is a side elevationof" the ball of Fig' ur-e7 after it has been subjected topressure and heating iii a mold;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section" illustrating the mol'd 'used to produce the ball in the condition sh'own in Figure8 Figure 10= is a side elevation of the ball after leather: or: other covering members have been put'in place;

- liigurei 1:1 is a; fragmentar section of a mold Like parts are indicated by like characters throng-boutthe specification and the drawingsi In Figure labladder [is shown. It may havea filling connection 2 of any conventional type. The filling connection has a pressure member 3' positioned about it and a reinforcing member 4 may be positioned about the filler connection. The bladder andfiller connection are conven tional and their details form no essential part of' the presentinve'ntion. A bladderof'th'i's sort maybe filled' by inserting a needle through thec'o'nne'ction 2 an'dby forcing g-asunder pressurethroughthe needle. When the needle is re m'oved pressure from within the bladder com--- presses the filler connection and prevents th'edischarge of gasor air. 7

As shown in Figure 2 a covering; orco'ating-fi has been put in place over the bladder. Thiscoating may be formed of rubberized material Ibis-conveniently sewn into shape and isfitted over the bladder whilethe latter isin flateda As shown in Figure 3a number of stripsor sections of rubberized fabric have beenputplace over the ball of'Figure Z'. Thecoverine o'f- Fig-ure 3' includes strips fi' 'and" T and segmental members 8- covering members such as shown in Figures 3 and ima'y be applied; One or more layersmay' be used. Preferably the material is rubberized and afterit has been initially put in pla'ce it is vulcanized by a heated tool or by being put mm of Fig-lire 4', it isplaced in a mold. The mold may' comprise awall-s and it is provided with rows of paralleldepressions iii. 1-0? Each pair of depressions I0 produces a raised portion l-l betweenthem; The-raised portion- H at the same level as the: bodyof the mold but is higher than the: depressions formed -at H1, 19-;

After the ball has beentreated in the moldiit assumes the'iorm: shown in Figure 5,- with a pattern crimes-[ 2, 12. The depressions-- I'll in the mold are shaped to define generally the spacesor areas upon which the-surface members are desired-number of layersaot 3 finally to be placed, and the lines I2 of the ball serve thus as spacing and indicating members for the application of the surface parts or members.

As shown in Figure 7, the ball of Figure has been modified by the addition of narrow tapelike members I3. These are placed generally to overlie the lines I2, I2. They may be of any desired color. Generally they will be of a color contrasting with the color of the surface member so that the open spaces between the edges of adjacent surface members will have a distinctive color. Preferably, although not necessarily, the tapes I3 are of a color which contrasts with the remainder of the surface of the ball at the time that they are required. Almost any color may be used, and the invention is not limited to any particular color.

After the tapes I3 have been put in place, the ball is again put into a mold and subjected to heat and pressure. The tapes will initially have been cemented in place by a rubber or rubber-like cement and the heat and pressure applied in the mold will-have vulcanized or solidified the cement. The" mold which renders the ball into the condition shown in Figure 8 is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 9. It may include the inner spherical wall I4 and an outer jacket member I5 between which is provided a steam space I6. The inner mold or wall I4 is provided with pairs of parallel grooves l1, l1. These grooves produce corresponding raised ribs I8, I8, as shown in Figure 8. After the ball of Figure 8 is vulcanized in the mold of Figure 9, it is preferably covered over all with a rubber cement and thereafter an extra heavy layer of rubber cement is laid on the pattern defined generally by the tapes I 3 and the ribs I8. This layer of extra heavy cement is indicated at I3 inFigure 8.

As shown in Figure 10 the ball in the form of Figure 8 has had applied to it a plurality of surface members I9. These members may be of leather or comparable material and are shaped to fit the spaces defined by the ribs or raised portions I8, I8. They are preferably initially held in place by rubber cement indicated at in Figure 10. When the ball has been formed as shown in Figure 10, with the surface members I9 cemented in place, it is put into a mold and is again subjected to pressure and, if desired, to heat.

Figure 11 illustrates a fragmentary sectional view of a mold suitable for receiving a ball in the form shown in Figure 10. As there shown, the mold comprises a wall 2| within which are formed projecting rib-like members 22. These will be placedor formed on the interior of the wall 2| in conformity with the pattern of the ball, as shown in Figure 10, so that a member 22 is positioned over each of the lines 23 formed by the adjacent edges of cover members I9.

Figure 12 illustrates on an enlarged scale the details of the construction of the ball in completed form. There are shown in that figure the bladder I, the first cover member 5, a layer of the various members 6, I, 8 and I3. Since in the finished ball these members have been vul-' canized or otherwise formed into a cohesive mass, this mass is designated in Figure 12 by the single numeral 21. On the exterior of the mass 21 the leather surface members I9 are mounted and they are held in place by the layer of rubber cement 24. The edges of the members I9- are reduced in thickness, as at 25, and an area of cement projects upwardly, as at 26, to extend 4 above the edges of the leather cover members and to some degree to overlie them. This produces a strong construction and one in which the cement secures the edges of the leather members I9 particularly.

Obviously under conditions of hard wear the tendency of the cover members I9 to become loosenedand displaced is greatest at their edges. Hence it is important to provide meansfor positively holding these members at their edges. As a result of the construction shown the surface members are not merely cemented to the ball over their entire inner faces, but the cement extends outwardly beyond the thickness of the edges and to some degree overlies the extreme edge portions and thus serves doubly to hold the surface members against displacement.

The ball itself as formed is of uniform thickness, and the ball or carcass of the ball is free from seams which project inwardly or outwardly. Under some conditions the seams of the coating 5 may deform the bladder I inwardly slightly, but with this exception the thickness of the carcass is uniform and free from inward or outward projections. This produces a ball of good quality and one which because of its uniformity of cross section can be made accurately spherical and will retain that shape for a long period.

Although I have shown an operative form of my invention, it will be recognized that many changes in the form, shape and arrangement of parts can. be made without departing from thespirit of the invention, and my showing is therefore to be taken as, in a sense, diagrammatic.

I claim:

l. In combinationin a playing ball, an airtight bladder, a body formed thereabout, and an outer coating formed of a plurality of surface members; cement positioned upon the outersurface of said body and holding said surface members in place, the edges of adjacent surface members being tapered so as to be substantially thinned and separated from each other to define areas of separation, the said cement extending across said areas of separation-and extending outwardly away from the body of said ball and up 1 wardly along the edges of said surface members and overlying said edges.

2. In combination in a playing ball, an airtight bladder, a body formed thereabout, and an outer1 said areas of separation and extending outwardly awayfrom the body of said ball and upwardly. along the edges of said surface members and overlying said edges. I

3. In combination in a playing ball, an airtight bladder, a multi-layer body formed thereabout,v

and an outer coating formed of a plurality of surface members, cement positioned upon the outer surface of said body and holding said surface members in place,;the edges of adjacent surface members-being tapered so as to be sub-' stantially thinned and separated from each other to define areasof separation, the said cementextending across said areas of separation and extending outwardly away from the body of said ball and upwardly along the edges of said surface membersand terminating well below the":

outer surface of said surface members.

escapee 1 if. n cmfi-binstnri ine piay tau, ah'airtig-ht fb'l'adder, a inultilayer, an ary--body formed thereaboutrand 'anout'er coating formed of a pluminers-mate member's; cement positioned upon the outer surface 'of said body-and holding said surface members in pa e; the edges of adjacent surfacemembers-being tapered sons to be substantially thinned and separated from each other to-define uniform-areas of separation, the said *c ernen't extending across said'areas of separation and extending outwardly away from the body of said ball and upwardly along the edges of said surface in'e'mbers' and overlying said edges, and terminating below the outer' surfacebf said surfalce members.

5. The method of-making'a playing ball which includes the fOllOWil'lgfStBPSl preparing an airimpervious bladder, inflating said bladder, applying to said bladdera covergthereafter successively applying a plurality of layers of material outside'said "cover, said layers being formed of 'rubberized fabric and comprising strips so applied that each-such strip ispositionedsubstantially at right'angles to the strips above and below and comprising-segmental members positioned in the area not'covered by said strips, vulcanizing the said layers together under heat and pressure to form a unitarycovering for said ball, and simultaneously forming on the exterior of said ball a pattern of lines, subsequently applying narrow sstrips'of material, along said lines, and finally rforminga pattern of projecting lines on the ex- :terior surface of said ball, thereafter cementing to the exterior surface of said ball a plurality of surface memberswithspace'd'apart edges, and causing the cement used in said cementing'to fi'll the-space between 'adlacentedges of said surface members.

6. The method of making a playing ball which includes the following steps: preparing an airimpervious bladder, inflating said bladder, applying to said bladder a cover, thereafter successively applying a plurality of layers of material outside said cover, said layers being formed of rubberized fabric and comprising strips so applied that each such strip is positioned substantially at right angles to the strips above and below and comprising segmental members positioned in the area not covered by said strips, vulcanizing the said layers together under heat and pressure to form a unitary covering for said ball, and simultaneously forming on the exterior of said ball a pattern of lines, subsequently applying narrow strips of material along said lines, and finally forming a pattern of projecting lines on the exterior surface of said ball, thereafter cementing'to the exterior surface of said ball a plurality of surface members with spaced apart edges, and causing cement to fill the space between adjacent edges of said surface members and to extend outwardly beyond said edges.

'7. The method of making a playing ball which includes the following steps: preparing an airimpervious bladder, inflating said bladder, applying to said bladder a cover, thereafter successively applying a plurality of layers of material outside said cover, said layers being formed of rubberized fabric and comprising strips so applied that each such strip is positioned substantially at right angles to the strips above and below and comprising segmental members positioned in the area not covered by said strips, initially securing each layer in place by heat, vulcanizing the said layers together under heat and pressure to form a unitary covering for said ball, and

si m-ultanebusly forming on the exterior :cf said ball apattern of lines, subsequently applying narro'w strips of material along saidlines, and vulcanizing 's'aids trips'in place, and finally forming a pattern of projectinglin'es on the exterior surfaceof said ball, thereafter cementing to the exterior-s'urface of said ball a plurality of surface member with spaced apart edges, and causing eenientto fill the space between adjacent edges c if 'said surface members,

8. The method of making a'pla'ying ball which includes'thefollowingsteps: preparing an air impervi'ous bladder, inflating saidbladder, applying tosaid -bladder a cover, thereafter successively applying a plurality of layers of material outside said cover, said layers being formed of rubberized fabric and comprising strips-so applied that each such strip is positioned substantially at right angles to the strips aboveand below and 'comprisingseg r'nental members positioned in the area not covered bys'aid strips, vulcanizing the said layers together under heat and pressure to form'a unitary covering for said ball, and simultaneously forming-on the exterior of said ball a pattern of linessubscquently applying narrow'strips of material along said lines, and finally forming apattern of projecting lines on the exterior surface of said ball, thereafter cementing tothe exterior surface of'said ball a plurality of surface'members withspacedapart edges, said surface members. shaped to conform-to the pattern provided bysaid parallel lines, and causing cement tofill the space between adjacent edges oflsaid surface members. l

9. The method of making a playing ball which includes the following steps: preparing an airimpervious'bladder, inflating said bladder, applying to said bladder a cover, thereafter successively applying a plurality of layers of material outside said cover, said layers being formed of rubberized fabric and comprising strips so applied that each such strip is positioned substantially at right angles to the strips above and below and comprising segmental members positioned in the area not covered by said strips, vulcanizing the said layers together under heat and pressure to form a unitary covering for said ball, and simultaneously forming on the exterior of said ball a pattern composed of parallel lines, subsequently applying narrow strips of material along said lines, and vulcanizing said strips in place, and finally forming a pattern of parallel projecting lines on the exterior surface of said ball, thereafter cementing to the exterior surface of said ball a plurality of surface members with spaced apart edges, said surface members shaped to conform to the pattern provided by said parallel lines, and causing cement to fill the space between adjacent edges of said surface members.

10. The method of making a playing ball which includes the following steps: preparing an airimpervious bladder, inflating said bladder, applying to said bladder a cover, thereafter successively applying a plurality of layers of material outside said cover, said layers being formed of rubberized fabric and comprising strips so applied that each such strip is positioned substantially at right angles to the strips above and below and comprising segmental members positioned in the area not covered by said strips, vulcanizing the said layers together under heat and pressure to form a unitary covering for said ball, and simultaneously forming on the exterior of said ball a pattern composed of parallel lines, subsequently applying narrow strips of material along said lines, and'vulcanizing said stripsin place, and finally, forming a pattern of parallel projecting lines on the exterior surface of said ball, thereafter cementing to the exterior surface of said ball aplurality of surface members with spaced apart edges, said surface members shaped to conform tothe pattern provided by said parallel lines, and completing said ball by vulcanizing it under heat and pressure, and causing cement to fill the space between adjacent edges of said surface members and to extend outwardly beyond said edges.

11. ,Ihe method of making a playing ball which includes the following steps: preparing an airimpervious bladder, inflating said bladder, applying to said bladder a cover, thereafter successively applying a plurality of layers of material outside said cover, said layers being formed of rubberized fabric and comprising strips so applied that each such strip is positioned substantially at right anglesto the strips above and below and comprising segmental members positioned in the area not covered by said strips, vulcanizing the said layers together under heat and pressure to form a unitary covering for said ball, and simultaneously forming on the exterior of said ball a pattern of lines, subsequently applying narrow strips of material along said lines, said strips being of a color contrasting with the remainder of the ball, and finally forming a pattern of projecting lines on the exterior surface of said ball, thereafter cementing to the exterior surface of said ball a plurality of surface members with spaced apart edges, and causing cement to fill the space between adjacent edges of said surface members.

12. The method of making a playing ball which includes the following steps: preparing an airimpervious bladder, forming the ball of a body thereabout cementing surface members on the exterior of said body with the adjacent edges of said surface members separated and tapered so as to besubstantially thinned, causing the cement which holds said surface members inplace to flow outwardly beyond the edges'of said surface members. r

13. The method of completing a playing ball which includes the following steps: cementing surface members on the exterior of a ball body with the adjacent edges of said surface members separated and tapered so as to be substantially thinned, and causing the cement which holds said surface members in place to flow outwardly beyond the edges of said surface members.

HENRY T. WINTERBAUER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Dec. 5, 1929 

